Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd - Holly Black & Co.

Summary:

Goodreads -  Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!


Thoughts

I rarely read short story anthologies because I have such a hard time getting into them, but I saw this was at the library so I thought...well why not?  And I'm so glad I did.  As I read each of these stories I kept feeling like "This is my home. These are my stories." - even when they were in a "geeky" matter I didn't know anything about.  With the exception of maybe two of the stories that I read, I wholeheartedly loved everything in this collection (even if I kept thinking all the characters were gay and then discovering I'd gotten the genders all wrong. Ah the pitfalls of short stories in first person).

This collection seriously has something for everyone - cosplaying, role playing, academic debate, LARPing, computer games, dinosaurs, fanfic, theater, Buffy - you name it, it's in here.  And I think it's amazing how drawn into each story I got into, even when I didn't have a clue about what they were talking about, I well and truly cared about the characters.  Which completely bypassed all my normal issues about short stories - since I tend to be pretty character centric, it's hard for short stories to be able to draw me in enough to really care about the characters because the stories are...well...short.  Some of them I actually would have LOVED to have gotten a whole novel out of the story - David Levithan's in particular. (Which shows me that I need to go pick up one of his books immediately. It's not like they aren't already all on my tbr list anyway, I just haven't done anything about it yet. Which will be remedied. Soon.) His was also the only one featuring anything other than a hetero relationship, which actually made me kind of sad because as I mentioned earlier, I actually assumed 75% of the relationships were same sex at the start of the stories haha.   A lot of the stories also had a focus purely on family or friend relationships, and you all know how much I go gaga over that sort of thing!

Sadly I didn't get this post up before the book expired on my kindle, so I lost all the notes I'd taken on the stories I loved, but since there were only two I didn't, just assume that the rest are all pure love for me, because they are.  The only two I didn't love were Scott Westerfield's and Barry Lyga's.  Scott Westerfields was just kind of...weird. And psychotic.  It creeped me out too much to love haha, and while I loved the concept of Barry Lyga's (his was about dinosaurs), the ending definitely didn't make me feel good.  But only two out of an entire collection is like a crazy difference than what I'm used to - I tend to be the reverse!  So I'm glad I picked it up and highly recommend this, regardless of how you feel about short stories or books about geeky things (because let's face it - if you're reading this blog, you definitely will be able to connect to at least a few stories in the collection regardless).


TL;DR

I don't read short stories. Ever. I get supremely bored by them.  But this collection was well worth picking up, and I'd recommend it to all readers because there's something a story in here for everyone.

Hissy Fit - Mary Kay Andrews

Summary

Goodreads:  Keeley Murdock's wedding to A.J. Jernigan should have been the social event of the season. But all bets are off when she catches her fiancé doing the deed with her maid of honor at the country club rehearsal dinner. The wedding's off, too, as Keeley pitches the hissy fit of the century, earning herself instant notoriety in the small town of Madison, Georgia.

Now A.J.'s unscrupulous banking family is bringing financial pressure to bear on Keeley's interior design business. But a redheaded stranger in a vintage yellow Cadillac is riding to her rescue. Will Mahoney, the new owner of a failing local bra plant, is about to offer the designing woman just what she needs: a plum decorating assignment, a chance to clear her name, and a golden opportunity to give her cheating varmint of an ex-fiancé the comeuppance he so richly deserves.

Thoughts

Oh my god that is the MOST RIDICULOUS ending I've ever read and now I can't stop laughing!

     After a long time, his hand found the zipper to my tightly fitted dress. The dress had begun to fall off my shoulders when I sensed, rather than heard, someone else in the room.

     "About goddamn time," Miss Nancy roared. And then she leaned in, flipped the lock on the doorknob, and gently closed the door.

These are literally the last words of the entire book. Like seriously.  I'm dying here!

Just so you guys know, the only reason I ended up reviewing this book was because of that last page, just so I could share the wonder of it with you.  You're welcome.


It was entertaining, but I couldn't shut off how much everything bothered me. People being judged by what their families did in the past, (entire female lines being called sluts). Nonchalance at women losing their entire source of income because the wives were pissed.  "Chick lit" can honestly be the worst at perpetuating sexism which I think is a real shame.  If we're going to have an entire genre just for women, shouldn't it be filled with awesomeness and badassery?  Instead of having this stigma of "not real literature", we might as well just OWN it.  Of course it's not all books like this - I LOVE Marian Keyes (I recommend the Walsh Family books) and Sophie Kinsella.  You want to read comedy? They're just absolute gold.  Check it.  But back to what I'm supposed to be reviewing.  There are so few female characters here that are shown in a good light.  In fact it's pretty much just the main character and her aunt.  And of course the main character is shown as superior by setting her apart from the other women.  And of course her best friend is not only:

A. A complete bitch
B. Comes from a line of sluts
C. Has no character explanation or depth.

I just can't.  Things like that...WHY? Just why? And of course the fiance's cheating is explained as: men from that family just can't keep it in their pants.  Seriously?  I will say that the main character puts very little stock in that. But then the fiance also has a weird mom fetish thing. So. There's that too.

Yes, there were other parts of the book that I liked (I mean there must have been? I gave it a meh instead of a blegh, but upon writing this review I can't remember the good things.  OH - I liked her other bff who occasionally slipped into gay cliches, but otherwise was lots of fun), but they were so overshadowed by almost literally ALL of my pet peeves that this book certainly wasn't for me, and I could not possibly recommend it to anyone else.  And authors really have some strange ideas about what the small town south is like.  Hint: not like this book.

And then after all of that, everything was wrapped up SUPER quickly. Like there was a before and an after, and no leading to the building of relationships. It was like BAM we're dating now!  Plus that ending.

TL;DR

Don't? I mean if you are one gung-ho chick lit reader, maybe this is for you?  

The Demon's Covenant (The Demon's Lexicon #2) - Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary

Goodreads:  Mae Crawford's always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she's even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse? Jamie hasn't told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick's powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician's carefully laid trap?


Thoughts

It's weird because in some ways I loved this more than The Demon's Lexicon, and in other ways I definitely didn't.  I felt like the tone was much more like SRB's Unspoken actually - lots of humour in this one (maybe because we were following Mae's narration this time?)  We get lots of Jamie who I love and he was as quippy as usual!

I really am not a huge fan of romance tangles in my book, and I think I'm going through a definite anti-romance thing, because I really wasn't into the romance in this book even slightly.  Not even a small part of me was interested in ANY of the love...combinations?  I won't go into details because of spoilers, but there's basically this huge love tangle and it's confusing and dumb and I was bored.  Unfortunately, it was a rather large portion of the book as well.  I would like to give the disclaimer that if I wasn't feeling so anti-romance in books right now, I might take that statement back - the romance wasn't bad, I just wasn't interested.

Luckily there's plenty of action complete with Nick's badassery and Jamie's hilarity, so overall the book is balanced.

Sorry this is so short, I've been feeling rather uninspired about reviewing :-/ (so unfortunately I think short reviews are in both of our futures, assuming you read the ones I write).  Hopefully I snap out of it soon!

Emerald Green (Ruby Red Trilogy #3) - Kerstin Gier

 

Summary

Goodreads:  Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.

She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.


Thoughts

*Shrugs* well it's about what I was expecting.  There was less Gideon angst, so yay for that?  I figured out some mysteries in the first book, and pretty much all the others about half way through this one.  I mean it's fine I guess, I wasn't bored and it didn't frustrate me that I already knew (probably because I had other question, but more on that later).  It's not giving me much to fangirl over though.  Basically everything I loved in previous books I loved here.  Gwyneth and Lesley continue to be a delight, and the other side characters are just as awesome.  Great- Aunt Maddie is hilarious, her siblings are cute.  Everything I didn't love, I still didn't love.  I need more background on everyone!  I need the mysteries that were left off half-heartedly to be explained, and the mysteries that were explained a little less obvious.  And I would really, really have loved explanations on how things worked.   Like for example:  (Only read this next paragraph if you don't care about spoilers!)

- Jack White is never explained!  Why does he suddenly have a personality change and like Gwyneth?  Why does he let her fake sick?  What's up with his son?  WILL HE EVER KNOW THE GHOST OF HIS SON FOLLOWS HIM AROUND?
- Why does Gwyneth's grandmother become such a heartless...being, particularly towards Gwyneth?  I mean I guess the grandfather dying is part of that, but still.  She doesn't have enough reason for me.
- Why did there need to be twelve people?  How were the chronothingies built?  Did time travel really start with the Count?  Why did he kill his ancestor?  How did the Count get the vial that got him into the present time?  I mean, ok so he probably blackmailed someone, as that was the going theory, but how?  Who? Basically none of the concepts behind how everything works is explained.  And I really,  really wanted that.
- So what's the point in Gwyneth's ghosts other than our entertainment?
- Are they going to live forever?  Do they age?  HOW DOES THIS ALL WORK??  Also *gags* ...so sickly sweet and urggghhhh Gideon.  I may like you more than I did before, but that tolerance is still pretty low.


So to basically sum that up, nothing about the Count or the workings of the time travel itself was ever explained, and that's what I wanted the most from this book.

Overall

Do I regret reading this series?  No.  Would I do it again?  Probably not.  I think the trilogy was a lot of fun, and I wouldn't steer people away from the books, but I also would only recommend the books to a certain type of reader.  The characters (most of them.  The good guys, basically) were hilarious and really awesome to experience, but everything else I could take or leave.

Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red #2) - Kerstin Gier

 Summary

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Thoughts

I feel like I can't give an honest review of this because I HATE Gideon.  I don't think I've ever hated a love interest this much.  I couldn't even tell you why I hate him more than all the other love interests over the years, I just do.  I think part of it is because there is SO MUCH "does he like me or not" angst here and it really stresses me out!  Seriously, I've ended up having to stop watching certain tv shows because there's so much over the top relationship drama that I get legitimately really stressed out, which pretty much defeats the purpose of watching tv.  And this book definitely took me to that point.  It's like Gideon is freaking bipolar!  Of course half the relationship insecurity is because of things Xemerius (a gargoyle only Gwyneth can see.  Or a demon?  Or all gargoyles are demons?  I've forgotten. ) tells Gwyneth about Gideon.  Also the timing.  At the end of the book they've known each other a week.  A week isn't near enough time for love to send me on a roller coaster of relationship stress!!!

I am probably one of the few people who really likes Gwyneth's character.  I feel like most people didn't like her character because she's acting like a silly sixteen year-old.  She reminds me so much of Lydia and Emily from Finding Cassie Crazy.  She's really funny, and I love her relationship with her best friend Lesley, who sadly didn't get much page time in this book.  Which is a shame because she's by far one of my favourite characters.  In fact, I actually really love many of the secondary characters here - like Aunt Maggie who is delightfully loopy and outspoken.  Unfortunately this book cut time from our secondary characters and focused on Gwyneth, who I really like, Gideon, who I loathe, and Xemerius who I found equally amusing and annoying.  Clearly this system isn't working for me.  And I thought we were going to get some info on Jack White, who I thought would have made a good grey character since he's so hostile in the beginning.  But this wasn't explored either.  Basically this book was "Oh Gideon, I love you!  Don't you love me too?  Oh what a passionate kiss!  Wait you don't love me?  Oh you're kissing me again.  Yay!  Just kidding we're totally not at all anything resembling dating, don't worry!"  And the cycle goes on.

Another thing that bothered me - why do they suspect her more than any one else of being the traitor in the group?  I mean technically any of them could have been the traitor.  Why her?  I mean she hasn't even DONE anything yet - clearly they don't think her capable of much thought in general, so why are they suspicious of her masterminding a spy mission?  This is why I need more information!

I think I would have loved this series more if it had followed Paul and Lucy instead.  In fact I thought that in the first book too.  I think it would have given us more of the darker feeling I think many of us expected from this series.  Don't get me wrong, I actually love the lighter feeling and the fact that Gwyneth holds true to what a 16 year-old is actually like.  In fact, if there was no Gideon, I would probably really enjoy this series.  Here's what I would have needed to love it:  no Gideon, and lots more world building.  Because I think the whole concept behind the mystery is fantastic, but the execution is rather flawed.  Not enough is explained as to why there are 12 of them, where the prophecies came from, etc.  I have so many questions about the world that seem to be explained with a simple "the Count said so" - which since he's censored their information, makes sense.  BUT.  I think that's an easy way out and I wish more information was given to us.  I want to know more about the WORLD and the MYSTERY.  NOT. MORE. ROMANCE. NO MORE ROMANCE. IT'S NOT ALLOWED.

I'm going to go read the third book now.  Hopefully I like it more than this one!  I have good feelings, after all the mystery is finally going to get revealed so that should make me very happy :)

Sure Signs of Crazy - Karen Harrington

 Summary

Love can be a trouble word for some people. Crazy is also a trouble word.
 
I should know.
  You've never met anyone exactly like twelve-year-old Sarah Nelson. While most of her friends obsess over Harry Potter, she spends her time writing letters to Atticus Finch. She collects trouble words in her diary. Her best friend is a plant. And she's never known her mother, who left when Sarah was two.
Since then, Sarah and her dad have moved from one small Texas town to another, and not one has felt like home.

Everything changes when Sarah launches an investigation into her family's Big Secret. She makes unexpected new friends and has her first real crush, and instead of a "typical boring Sarah Nelson summer," this one might just turn out to be extraordinary.


Favourite Lines:

Lisa is wrong about kissing and love.  It might make you pretty at first, but it makes you look stupid, too.

It's funny how you don't know you are a bunch of pieces until someone hugs you together.


Thoughts

This book makes you feel so many things at the same time!  Sarah often wonders in the book if feeling two things in the same moment makes you crazy, and if that were the case this book would have definitely put me well into the category of madness.

It's definitely a character centric book.  Not a lot actually happens action wise.  A lot of what "happens" in the book are things that took place in Sarah's past, and observations of how the past has impacted the adults who surround her currently.  It's just amazing to see how all the characters grow - but you aren't seeing them grow, you are seeing Sarah seeing them grow without her always recognizing the growth.  Wow.  Isn't that just a mind ...word I can't find a substitute for?

Karen Harrington did an absolute fantastic job of writing a 12 year-old narrator.  There's a fine balance in showing the naivete of a preteen, but at the same time capturing the way children often know more than you'd think.  Or how they only understand a part of a more mature subject.  In a lot of ways Sarah reminds me of Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird.  I'd say this is likely on purpose, as Sarah confides in Atticus Finch through letters.  She's a little older than Scout was I think, but she still captures that sort of heartbreaking quality as she says things that show horrible events...but she says them in such a funny manner and with such a blunt focus that you're torn between laughter and feeling sort of horrified!  It's difficult to describe, but if you've read To Kill a Mockingbird, you should understand what I mean.  Sarah's voice is so incredibly sincere and it's just...well.  I've already said that it's perfect for a 12 year-old who is going through some incredibly heart breaking situations.  I don't have a better way to say it, other than that Sarah is probably the most sincere narrator I've come across in modern literature.  

The only criticism I have is that Charlotte, Sarah's babysitter, acts less like someone in her 20's and more like someone who is sixteen.  I mean, I'm in my 20's and she sounded like a kid I would have student taught.  I had a hard time remembering that she was getting her PhD!  But that is such a small quibble in the grand scheme of things.  This book is just a really special book.  It's a book that kids can read, and a book their parents will love too.  It would be a wonderful book to pair with To Kill a Mockingbird...and everyone should read this.  It's not just for people like me who read younger literature, it's the kind of book EVERYONE should read.

Overall

Read this.  This is easily in my top 10 books for the year.  Maybe even top 5? In any case.  I repeat:  read this!

A Cat Called Dog - Jem Vanston

I received this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Summary


Dog is a cat – the only problem is that he doesn't behave like one! Instead he wags his tail, sticks out his tongue and yaps in a manner which is distinctly puppyish. Something has to be done; the pride of cats is at stake!

Against his better instincts, George, an old ginger tom, reluctantly decides to take on the enormous task of teaching the confused kitten how to behave like a proper cat. In the company of the cheeky Eric, the mysterious and exotic François and the elegant Miss Fifi, George commences his teaching of the cat curriculum, including lessons on the feline 'Holy Trinity': eating, sleeping and washing. But things do not go smoothly. Maybe Dog will find it impossible to change and unlearn all his bad habits?


Favourite Lines

"And now we shall consider the purr - which falls, rather neatly into two distinct categories - the anticipatory purr and the thankful purr."

Dog had no idea whatsoever what 'anticipatory' meant, but thought it might have something  to do with ants, of the type that sometimes walk all over your fur and itch you when you're asleep.  This sounded very odd indeed and nothing much to do with purring.


Thoughts

*SQUEES* Oh the adorableness!!! I don't think I've ever read cuter, funnier story than this. 

A Cat Called Dog is a perfect book for all ages.  Literally.  It's perfect to read to your children who are old enough to have interest in being read chapter books (and they will laugh, and laugh, and laugh), it's perfect for children who are an intermediate level of reading, and it's perfect for adults.  It's like the best kid movies - kids think they are the BEST, and adults love all the subtle humor that goes over the kids' heads.

At first it only seems like entertaining reflections on cats (and their thoughts on humans).  Honestly that probably would have been enough to me because the fluffiness distracted me from other needs in a book.  But if you do need a plot - give this book time and you'll get a surprisingly action-packed storyline with plenty of crafty plotting on the cats' parts.

There's an ensemble cast, primarily of cats, and have I mentioned yet how much I love ensemble casts (oh I dunno...only  A BILLION TIMES).  There's Dog - a strange adolescent cat that has the mannerisms of a dog, George - a loveable old ginger tom who has decided to take Dog under his tutelage, and Eric - a hilarious stray, and Francois - a cat who has traveled all over the world.  These are the cats that make up the main cast.  They are joined by The Lady, who is George's two legs and who he absolutely adores, as well as The Man (who absolutely does NOT have The Lady's best interests at heart!)  Not only must the cats help teach Dog how to act like a cat, they must save The Lady from The Man's dastardly plans!

I think part of the reason I love this story so much is that I have a big ginger tom who I love very much, and in many ways resembles George.  When I was in high school, my mom adopted another rescue cat because she's always wanted a tuxedo cat, and he seemed like the perfect fit for us.  (I think she would probably recant that statement now, but he is a very sweet cat!  He's just ridiculously a bit skittish....and shaped like a bowling ball).  I am sure they took ages to get along, but I can't remember that bit very much.  They adore each other.

  Murphy, my ginger, grooms him every day.  They sleep curled up next to each other.   Wherever Murphy goes, Tristan goes.  (It's also why I think I am the only human being Tristan will come hang out with.  He gave up his vendetta against me because he finally acknowledged I was a worthy human for his elder brother).  And in this book, it was so easy to see Murphy in George and well...it might be a stretch to imagine Tristan as Dog, but I can see the mentor relationship anyway.But sorry, I got on a personal tangent.

Here's why you should read this book:

1. It's adorable.
2.  It's about cats.
3.  It's very insightful about both cats and humans.
4.  It's hilarious.
5.  It's clever.
6.  YOU DON'T NEED A REASON, JUST GO READ IT.  Especially since the author mentioned in the intro that he would be interested in writing more books about the cats if interest was shown!  So go show interest!  I want more cat books!  (And if they aren't about Dog and George, you might break my heart, Mr. Jem Vanston)

River Secrets (Books of Bayern #3) - Shannon Hale

 Summary

Razo has no idea why he was chosen to be a soldier. He can barely swing a sword, and his brothers are forever wrestling him to the ground. Razo is sure it's out of pity that his captain asks him to join an elite mission--escorting the ambassador into Tira, Bayern's great enemy.

But when the Bayern arrive in the strange southern country, Razo discovers the first dead body. He befriends both the high and low born, people who can perhaps provide them with vital information. And Razo is the one who must embrace his own talents in order to get the Bayern soldiers home again, alive.

Newbery-Honor winner Shannon Hale returns the reader to the intrigue and magic of Bayern, first introduced in her critically acclaimed novel, The Goose Girl. Enter a world where even those with no special magical skills find in themselves something they never imagined.


Thoughts

HA - as soon as I mentioned wanting to know about Conrad, he shows up in the first chapter!  So now I know.  He's a soldier in Bayern's Own.  Which is totally not a spoiler because come on, first chapter!

Razo is the main character in this book, which is definitely a change for Shannon Hale.  Luckily I felt Razo really worked as a main character - he's so funny!   He's a big pranskter, and it's amazing how little he realizes about himself.  He reminds me of myself...I usually feel a physical reaction before I can interpret the emotion involved because I'm just that dense sometimes haha.  I LOVED when he found out *SPOILERS* that he was in love with Dasha - he says by far one of my favourite lines! "How could you miss it?  Just the sound of her voice makes my chest feel tight and my face gets hot and my mouth goes dry whenever she's near.  It's getting bad, all I have to do is see her and I'm already thinking, what does she want? What can I do for her?  She's got some power over me, there's no question, and what else could it be?" Hint - he's definitely not talking about being in love haha! *SPOILERS* So that may be part of the reason why I enjoyed this book so much, I easily relate to Razo's character more than either Isi or Enna.  For those of you who were worried you wouldn't be seeing your favourite characters, no worries!  All our main characters from the previous books make an appearance, and there's plenty of Enna and Finn to go around!  In fact that was probably my other favourite part of the book since I've made it no secret that Finn is probably my favourite character from the previous books.

This book as a whole was definitely a different feel from the previous two books.  It's more of a political murder mystery sort of thing.  Tira and Bayern are trying to have peace talks, but someone is sabotaging it.  And it looks like a fire speaker is involved...uh oh!  Tensions run high, assassination attempts are made, sneaky political maneuvers are undertaken.  All in all it's the sort of plot I'm easily drawn into, so yet another reason why this book was so easy for me to enjoy.  Despite it dealing with death and war and whatnot, it was delightful, fun read as per expected of Shannon Hale. 

Overall

This book has everything one expects of a Shannon Hale character (except that it has a male narrator) - it's fun, quick, and has GREAT characters with great character development.  And as an added plus you get some time with your favourite characters from the previous books!

Would I recommend it?

Definitely!  It helps if you've read at least Enna Burning first, but you could probably read it on your own if you really wanted to (although I think you'd really miss some of the subtleties and references, as well as how awesome the side characters are).  All in all if you're a Shannon Hale fan, (or Gail Carson Levine and the like) definitely check this out!

Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier

Summary

Goodreads:  Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! 

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Thoughts

First, a disclaimer.  I think you should take into account all the things I love in this book are pretty much all the things everyone else hates and vice versa.

Let me start with:  I LOVE Gwyneth's character!  She reminds me a lot of the girls from Finding Cassie Crazy, and considering that is one of my favourite books of all time, it's a huge compliment.   That being said, everyone else seems to hate that about her (I'm judging by Goodreads reviews), saying she acts like she's twelve.  Ummm...when was the last time you spoke to a 16 year old/were 16 years old?  Did YOU act like Katniss or Katsa when you were 16?  I know I didn't!  I was just as silly and chatty at 16 as Gwyneth is, and she IS 16.  I think we are just saturated with YA heroines who act older than their age (I usually pretend they are at least 18, if not older since I have hard time thinking of them as younger partially because I am no longer that young, but also because they act WAY more mature than any 16 year old I've ever met).  I'm in no way criticizing these heroines - they are perfect for their stories and I absolutely adore both heroines I named.  I just think we shouldn't expect ALL our heroines to act that way.  It's not like she has any sort of tortured background that would shape her to be anything OTHER than a normal 16 year old.  I thought it was absolutely refreshing that she doesn't transform from a silly 16 year old to a mature badass as soon as she finds out she is a time traveler, especially since this book only spans a few days!  I mean that would be ridiculous, people resist change, so no one is going to transform that quickly!  It was really great that the book didn't solely focus on the time traveler part, so you get lots of time with her family and best friend as well as school life.  I think she is likely going to start some character growth, but I love that it is being done gradually, and you are really being shown all aspects of her life.  I also loved that she doesn't know what makes her special to the love interest or anyone else, but she doesn't go on and on about how undeserving she is like a lot of other characters in these situations do (pointed look at Everneath).  Basically she reacts how I would imagine I would act:  still the same person she was before, just very confused and determined to make the best of it. 

On to other things I adore about this book - her best friend Lesley.  Lesley might be even MORE hilarious than Gwyneth is, it's hard to tell because they are PERFECT together!  And I love, LOVE so much that they are really best friends.  They tell everything to each other, Lesley is excited for Gwyneth about finding out she's a time traveler when Gwyneth is scared, Lesley is great for great brainstorming and general hilarity.  And as previously stated, they are REAL best friends, it's not one sided, so Gwyneth is constantly thinking of what Lesley would do, or trying to bring her back souvenirs from the past among other things.  I just...this is easily one of my favourite friendships of all time.  And again, their relationship is similar to that of the girls from Finding Cassie Crazy.  This is easily my favourite part of the whole book.

And then there's Gideon.  As soon I read the name Gideon, I knew it was him.  I mean honestly with a name like Gideon who else could be the love interest?  (And don't you think it's an awfully good name for a pet owl?)  I really disliked Gideon.  My bet is *SPOILERS* that he kissed her at the end because he's got some trick up his sleeve.  Otherwise WTH?  I mean they met in the span of what, two days?  And all of a sudden he's after Gwyneth instead of Charlotte?  Come on.  Not realistic. *SPOILERS*  He may be attractive, but he's arrogant, and not in an attractive way.  And he seems like a really two dimensional character at the moment.  I did like that Gwyneth was honest with herself about her feelings towards him.  She may have wanted to dislike him (in my opinion for good reason), but she knew that she found him attractive and accepted it instead of trying to deny it.  It was refreshing. I'll admit - I'm usually a total sucker for that.  The romance in Pride & Prejudice is one of my favourites...but it was really well done.  Too often I see authors try and spin out the hate/love for too long, even though it is SO CLEAR they know they are attracted and it's just dumb.  So basically I hate Gideon and I'm pretty sure everyone else loves him, so again take my opinions with a grain of salt. 

I feel like the book was too short, or the ending was abrupt, or both.  I liked the time spent with Gwyneth, meeting her friends and family, and the laying the foundation for what I'm sure is going to become important later (seeing ghosts).  At the same time I felt like Gwyneth was confused by the explanations and gave up trying to understand them too easily.  I also think it is why I don't really understand what is going on.  Honestly I feel like I didn't actually get a good grasp on what the mystery was just that there was one everyone kept talking about.  I mean I get the gist of it - evil guy, some mystery behind the joining of all 12 people, etc.  But I don't understand the how or why of anything.  And I think that's what this book needed to make me fall in love.  It was a great read, and I'm definitely reading the next book (which I hope will explain all my questions), but this book just didn't feel fleshed out enough.  Since I've been blogging, I've realized that perhaps I pay an abnormal amount of interest to world building.  It won't break a book for me, but it will absolutely make a book.  So in short, yes I think you should read this book, but you need to have an open mind for a silly heroine rather than a gung-ho sword toting one.  If you're cool with that, this is a really fun book!


Questions I have that you shouldn't read unless you've read the book because potential spoilers?

 - What role does seeing ghosts play?
- Are Paul and Lucy her parents?
- What's the secret that happens when you get all 12 together?
- How much does her mother actually know?  She had to have had the same reason as Paul and Lucy for not wanting her to see him

I am very intrigued to see how this is going to play out!  I can't wait to get to the next book.

Dragonwriter: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey and Pern - Todd McCaffrey

 I received a copy of this from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Summary

From the publishers:
When Anne McCaffrey passed in November 2011, it was not only those closest to her who mourned her death; legions of readers also felt the loss deeply. The pioneering science fiction author behind the Dragonriders of Pern® series crafted intricate stories, enthralling worlds, and strong heroines that profoundly impacted the science fiction community and genre.

In Dragonwriter, Anne’s son and Pern writer Todd McCaffrey collects memories and stories about the beloved author, along with insights into her writing and legacy, from those who knew her best. Nebula Award–winner Elizabeth Moon relates the lessons she learned from Pern’s Lessa (and from Lessa’s creator); Hugo Award–winner David Brin recalls Anne’s steadfast belief that the world to come will be better than the one before; legendary SFF artist Michael Whelan shares (and tells stories about) never-before-published Pern sketches from his archives; and more.

Join Anne’s co-writers, fellow science fiction authors, family, and friends in remembering her life, and exploring how her mind and pen shaped not only the Weyrs of Pern, but also the literary landscape as we know it.

Contributors include:

• Angelina Adams
• David Brin
• David Gerrold
• John Goodwin
• Janis Ian
• Alec Johnson
• Georgeanne Kennedy
• Mercedes Lackey
• Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
• Lois McMaster Bujold
• Elizabeth Moon
• Charlotte Moore
• Robert Neilson
• Jody Lynn Nye and Bill Fawcett
• Robin Roberts
• Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• Wen Spencer
• Michael Whelan
• Richard J. Woods
• Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Thoughts

Oh wow.  I had no idea what I was getting into when I read this book!  For some reason I thought it was going to be a dry collection of stories about Anne, it would be a quick, informative read and then I'd be on my way!  I was so wrong it's laughable!  The only thing I got right is that it was very informative.

Firstly, it's clear that any stories involving Anne could never be dry.  It's amazing how clear an image of her I got - it didn't matter if it was family, friends, colleagues, or fans - no matter how these people knew Anne (and see?  I can't call her Anne McCaffrey after reading this book), they all painted the picture of the same person.  Warm, loving, snarky, hard-working, extremely supportive - the story written by her daughter referred to her as a "universal mum".  I'm not really sure how to review short stories honestly, so I won't bother to separate them because all of them were absolutely wonderful to read.  I had to limit myself to one chapter at a time though as I do much of my reading on the train and if I wasn't laughing out loud then I was failing horribly at trying not to cry which made me look a bit mad!

I came to this book as a fan of Anne McCaffrey's, but not a particularly knowledgeable one.  I must have read Dragonflight a million times and have read whatever other books she's authored I stumbled upon, but I had never really thought much about the creator behind them.   I have only recently started thinking about the impact of female writers in fantasy and science fiction in an era when they had to really fight to be recognized.  I didn't understand the full impact of Anne McCaffrey's achievements as a writer and as a woman, but while none of the stories harped on all of her achievements, it became quite clear to me that she paved the way for all the female sci-fi writers we have now.  Perhaps still in a minority, but I believe it is a growing minority.

This book also solved a big mystery for me - why do so many sci-fi series become co-written or taken over by other authors?  I'd always thought of it as a cop out sort of thing (probably because most sci-fi I read is YA sci-fi and they don't do that as of yet).  I'd never thought of it as a nurturing sort of thing that could launch another writer's career as well as bring in fresh ideas and characters into an already existing world.  And considering how much I love fanfiction, it's no surprise that I LOVED the idea of being able to create your own characters and work side by side with an author to add your characters to her world!

Most surprising to me was how approachable Anne was.  Every single story mentioned it - but at first I just thought it was something you said about someone.  In fact at first I thought most of the great things about Anne were exaggerated because people often do that after someone has died.  But then EVERY story mentioned these things about her - particularly how approachable she was, and I began to realize Anne really was all those great things!  One of my favourite stories in the book was a hilarious story of a fan, Charlotte Moore, meeting Anne.  I won't get into the particulars, but at one point when she was in high school she'd sent Anne an e-mail.  She got a response - but also a reprimand as Anne knew one of the teachers at the Charlotte's school (I think it was a teacher) and had heard that Charlotte was not applying herself in classes, so in her e-mail she'd said "So STUDY, twithead!"  I thought this was hilarious - and it was sort of amazing to me how she responded with such familiarity and not a stock e-mail sort of thing.  I was flabbergasted when I found out she would just let anyone into her home!  Fans would go to Ireland, call her up, and stop by for a visit!  I'd never heard of anyone doing that for complete strangers!  She apparently was extremely generous financially as well as everything else, and helped many young people get started on their career.  Not just family friends or aspiring authors either!  Reading these things about anyone, let alone an author you admire, was absolutely amazing.

This book was extremely moving.  You don't have to be a fan of Anne McCaffrey's, you don't need to know a single thing about her or her books.  This book is a fantastic collection of stories about a powerful woman's life, as well as enlightening on sci-fi writers in general.  I would highly recommend you read this - I told you, I don't do non-fiction or pseudo non-fiction, but I absolutely loved this book!

Unspoken - Sarah Rees Brennan

 Summary

Goodreads:  Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

 Thoughts

This book was SO SO funny.  Like completely different than I was expecting.  I loved the characters, and yay diversity, and YAY girl friends who aren't catty and awful and YAY EVERYTHING IN THIS BOOK.

Ok.  I can't even begin to organize my thoughts here.  I'm trying, I really am.  On the surface, it's a gothic mystery which would have been enough to make me love it already.  Kami is hilarious.  Like seriously laugh out loud funny.  I was reading this out in the square and I had to leave because I have a bad tendency to pull faces when I read, and laughing hysterically when you are sitting by yourself is a sure way to freak out all the parents who frequent the square.

This is what I imagine I looked like.

Beyond that, you've got two hunks sort vying for her attention and sort of trying to not be into her (it's weird, but it is one of the few love triangles I didn't mind very much).  So it's got eye candy for those of you who love your book boyfriends, but it's doesn't focus on the love triangle...ish thing that's going on or have instalove, for those of you who hate having to deal with that.  Her friends are awesome and they keep up their crazy banter up almost the whole time (until it gets life or death and serious).  Seriously, the dialogue here is so funny I don't know how anyone can read this without laughing out loud!

Sarah Rees Brennan tackles so many great girl issues with this book.  Kami and Angela have been best friends for the past 6 years and they clearly love each other, even though they're both a bit crazy.  Unlike Kami and Angela who have been besties for years, Holly joins the group during the book, and how Brennan deals with her is a big part of why I thought the book was so amazing.  Kami has assumed for years that Holly is a "floozy" because she hangs out predominantly with guys and is rather well endowed.  Jared (voice in head boy) points out that this might have to do with her being ostracized by girls because she developed young (age 11).  This totally happens in middle school and continues into high school, and Kami feels like she was a bit of a prat because Holly has never actually given Kami a reason to dislike her.  Once she realizes this, she takes Jared's suggestion to invite Holly to sit with her in class (or at lunch?) and Holly seems so happy that she was asked to hang out by a girl that Kami realizes that Holly doesn't hang out with girls  not because she doesn't want to, but because other girls snub her.  I love this because it deals with all the complicated relationships that girls have especially in middle and high school, but not in the way most YA contemporaries do (because really it seems to be only YA contemporaries or normal fiction books that deal with this).  It's significantly less angsty and it doesn't fall into the trap that most books I've been coming across do: you say she's your bff, but she acts like an unreasonable bitch.  Honestly, this whole situation is dealt with so quickly (I mean, it really isn't the point of the book, I just happen to love it)  and it's funny the whole way through.  Then there's an Angela's epiphany, and I can't say too much about this because, spoilers so proceed to the highlighted section with caution.

*SPOILERS*  We find out that Angela is a lesbian towards the end of the book.  And it is so not a big deal in an amazing way!  It's a surprise, but it's one Kami overcomes in the span of a paragraph (because let's face it, psychopathic magical beings who are about to kill said best friend are kind of a much bigger deal).  I also love that Angela isn't made into a lesbian cliche, and that her identity as a person is not defined by her sexuality.  I thought it was dealt with SO well.  And I have high standards on these things as I'd say probably half of my friends are out.  I'm so happy that I'm seeing more LGBT characters in literature, particularly in YA literature because that's the audience that is discovering their sexuality.  It is so, so important to not only have LGBT characters in the literature, it is important to have characters who happen to be LGBT, rather than characters whose sexuality defines who they are as people, rather than it being a by product of who they are.  I digress.  On to the book!  *SPOILERS*

I think what I love most about this story, and honestly that's saying something because I am so FULL OF LOVE about everything to do with this book, is that it follows the story of what you'd expect a paranormal YA book to be, but the characters are what separates it.  Kami is not a "strong female character".  She has legitimate martial arts training, but she's small, and while insatiably curious, she gets terrified.  She has a wide array of emotions.  AND she's got this awesome/weird mental/emotional bond with Jared.  But instead of making them have an instalove situation (as is expected in paranormal YA as far as I can tell), it makes things awkward.  I mean, imagine you've known someone your entire life - they know every single secret about you, even the kind of secrets you would never share with a single soul as long as you live.  You think they are an imaginary friend, and that maybe you're a little bit crazy.  Then you MEET them.  You've never seen this person, never physically interacted with them, but they know your deepest, darkest secrets.  Can you imagine how uncomfortable that would be?  How unsettling? In any other paranormal romance, it would be grounds for deep love bond yayyy.  But this bond forces the characters to feel a deep connection to  each other against their will.  I feel it is very important to note that.  It gives it a completely different feeling...sort of...mind rapey for lack of a better term.  It's a sort of...slavery, if you will.  Not being free to feel as you choose, to even think anything privately really.  They have to consciously put a mental block up to hide any thoughts and feelings from each other.  Honestly, it sounds exhausting. 

Of course, the whole book is focused on the mystery behind Kami's hometown, Sorry-in-the-Vale, and what role the Lynburns play in it, and not all these wonderful things I'm raving on about.  While it's not hard to guess there's something supernatural behind it, pretty much everything else you think is wrong.  Seriously, this book is amazing!  There's just enough familiarity in the subject material and genre to keep the suspense ratcheted up, but there's so many twists, and (really I'm not just saying this) they're really good twists.  Now some of you might be quicker to pick things up than I am, but I promise you will be genuinely surprised at some of the reveals.  This book is really unique because it is so familiar, but so clearly sets itself from other books I've read in this genre by how it deals with out expectations of characters and outcomes in a situation.  Honestly I know I'm talking in circles at this point but I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH.  And I'm running out of ways to say that differently haha. 

Here are some more reasons to love this book (but more concisely now, I promise):

1.  Diversity - you've not only got a half Japanese character, she's the main character.  Her dad is Japanese by race, but he grew up in this town.  I think people forget that just because you look a certain nationality, it doesn't mean that you ARE that nationality.  I don't remember if her dad was English born or not, but he's definitely an English native as he was raised there.  So that's already two awesome things

2.  Pro LGBT

3.  Strong female characters, but not strong female characters, very distinctive and different personalities.  And the secondary characters are so well done they almost don't feel like secondary characters, in the way that Ron and Hermione don't really feel like secondary characters.
4.  Great parental figures.  I know right?  It's completely shocking.  Kami's family is awesome!!  She loves them, doesn't always agree with them, and feels like an outsider at times, but they are actual people with separate characters!  And they love her unconditionally.  How many YA books can you name that even match ONE of those statements?

 5.  This book never stopped surprising me.

Seriously, every time I thought I had it all figured out, I was wrong!

When I got to the last paragraph I basically went...WHAT???? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME. HOW.  WHY. I;ALSDKA;SKDGH;ADKGH;ASDKHG;ASKFGA.  That being said....no cliffhanger!!  My reaction wasn't because of a cliffhanger, if you've read it you know what it is.  But can I just repeat this?  NO CLIFFHANGER!!!  Praise the lord, alleluia. 

In the Ring of Endless Light post, I mentioned that I hadn't found books I could reread over and over the way I could with books I was a kid.  Well consider me wrong, this book definitely is going to get reread billions of times.  I can't believe I found this book two weeks before the new one comes out!!!! (Although I suppose by the time I post this it will have already been out for a while). 


Overall

Seriously, you have to read this.  I mean it.  There is not a single reason for you not to read this.  I honestly think this might be my favourite read of the whole year.  I don't think it's possible for me to read a book better than this one.  IT IS SO FREAKING GOOD!!!


Bechdel Test

...I forgot to check whether it passed or not before I returned it to the library, but since I'm planning on buying the book soon anyway, I'll update this when I get the book!

The Princess Bride - William Goldman

Synopsis

Bookrags: The cover of The Princess Bride states the the book is "S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure." Indeed The Princess Bride does contain a great deal of true love and action adventure, but not necessarily in the way most readers will be expecting. Buttercup and Westley are lovers destined to be together, but circumstances beyond their control separate them for many years. Inigo is embroiled in a quest to avenge his father's murder, and Fezzik is looking for a true friend who enjoys rhymes. In addition to these characters there is a Prince who is averse to marriage but in love with hunting and a Count who enjoys researching pain. Along with a bumbling King, a fired Miracle Man, an albino, and the Zoo of Death the reader is treated to a tale of great skill; from both the characters and the author.

Thoughts

This was a really quirky read. I thought it was really funny in that off the wall way Hitchhiker's is, but with much less relevance to the story line. I only found out that there ISN'T an unabridged version a year or two after reading the book. Or a sequel. The whole book is based on a nonexistent book. I found while overall the book was as humorous as the movie, it went off on these really weird tangents about geography or history (to show that it's an abridged version of a serious text). I get why he wrote it, but I tend to like my stories a little more straight forward. I like the movie better...this one is a bit ADHD for me

Recommended

Adventure, Humour, if you liked Hitchiker's guide and like historical fiction this would probably be a good read for you.

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Book Review                             Book Review

The End - Lemony Snickett

Synopsis

You are presumably looking at the back of this book, or the end of the end. The end of the end is the best place to begin the end, because if you read the end from the beginning of the beginning of the end to the end of the end of the end, you will arrive at the end of the end of your rope.

This book is the last in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even if you braved the previous twelve volumes, you probably can't stand such unpleasantries as a fearsome storm, a suspicious beverage, a herd of wild sheep, an enormous bird cage, and a truly haunting secret about the Baudelaire parents.

It has been my solemn occupation to complete the history of the Baudelaire orphans, and at last I am finished. You likely have some other occupation, so if I were you I would drop this book at once, so the end does not finish you.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket


Thoughts

Overall this series as a whole really made me tired. It took effort to go through the repetition and the story line began chasing itself in circles. However, the purposes of this book (and series) - expanding children's vocabulary, teaching ethics/morals, and introducing "the great unknown" (death) was very effective. The relationships and plots of this series are very complex and if you miss one detail you are lost, so I feel the series can only apply to a narrow age group - too simple to entertain older kids and too complicated for younger ones to understand, although its possible I underestimate children.

Despite my overall distaste for the series, I found this a very satisfactory ending to the series - this book was in the top three written for the series I would say due to mature ideas, great symbolism, and the ending of the book. Unlike most children's books, this series ends without answering all the questions - leaving the reader to decide the fate of the Baudelaire's, although *SPOILERS*the hints lean towards their probable death. *SPOILERS* This series really matured throughout its thirteen books.

Overall

I personally did not enjoy this novel or series. I read it because I started reading it and I HAVE to know how things end. I found the prose extremely irritating and the repetition of the plot only slightly less so. However, the mysteries that develop in each novel keep you hooked.

Recommended for

Children from the ages 8-13.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Rated: 7 stars




Synopsis

"I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers."
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb...

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends — and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society — born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island — boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways

Thoughts

Set during WWII on a small island off the coast of England during German occupation, this book is narrated almost entirely through letters. This means that the POV gives a lot of different perspectives - kind of in first person, kind of in third person, it can cover a large assortment of experiences and emotions. I also liked how a book united a community during a Nazi occupation and how this book created relationships that spanned over countries. Very book empowering :-).

2/3 of the book have great character development and tension built up from the war as well as personal relationships. It is a little vague where the story is going however. The ending, sadly, falls short in comparison to the rest of the book. It is very cliche - a romance sprouts out of nowhere in the last few chapters of the book, finishing the novel. It seems very abrupt and out of character. There is a reason for this. Unfortunately the author died before she finished the book, leaving her niece to finish the book. I have to congratulate the niece for having the guts to pick up a story and try and match the style.

Overall

A decent read, relatively light-hearted for a historical fiction novel, especially during this time period.

Recommended

Historical fiction readers, chick lit, and anyone looking for a good, light read.

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones

Synopsis:

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.


Thoughts

I came to this novel having first seen the film a few times. The film confused me and I had heard the book was a lot better- which I can confirm having read it. The film takes so many liberties on the story (typical of films, of course) that the story became so muddy it was almost unrecognizable! The story isn't particularly complicated - a bad family, an enchantment, and love to break it. But the way that it is plotted out and written is delightful - thoughtful yet charming at the same time. Although a little predictable, there is definite character depth and the predictability doesn't fall into the unrealistic relationships that often happen in simpler books. Sometimes its nice to have something well-written and cliche in your repertoire.


Overall:

A charming read, good for something short to fill the time with. I enjoyed it, but it isn't something that will really stay with you for years.


Recommended for:

Young adult and fantasy readers who want a light read with a sense of humour.

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